Overview

• RAC patrols logged 6,575 pothole-related call-outs between April and June 2025, up from 6,050 a year earlier, with many cases involving damaged suspension, springs and wheels.
• The RAC attributes the increase to a colder first quarter that accelerated pothole formation, creating an unseasonable spring spike.
• England’s local-roads budget is nearly £1.6 billion this year after a £500 million uplift, and the Department for Transport says councils must show progress or risk losing part of the funding within a £24 billion five-year programme.
• RAC and industry bodies call for permanent fixes and preventative surface dressing during the April–September season to curb repeat failures.
• The DfT estimates serious pothole repairs cost drivers nearly £500 on average, and insurers advise that comprehensive policies can cover damage though excesses and no-claims discounts may be affected.